December 5-11, 2013

Gay life in Chicago this week, back in ...

1977

Movies showing in the bars this week include "The Magic Flute" at Man's Country; "Swanee River" is at Little Jim's; and the Glory Hole is showing "Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?"

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Article in this week's Gay Life begins:

"The latest criticism of Anita Bryant's anti-gay crusade comes in the very unlikely form of a 'Howard the Duck' comic book. In the issue, which is dated February 21, Howard takes on the SOOFI (Save Our Offspring From Indecency) who are out to 'sanitize' society. The organization does this by bombing adult bookstores, porno movies and a heavy rock band called Mildred Horowitz and His Band.

"The SOOFI's leader (whose head is a big orange) says that the idea for the crusade came to him in a vision. He continues, 'The Almighty appeared to me on Miami Beach and instructed me to carry the prevailing community standard of Dade County to the whole world."

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Image: Kitty Sheons – Gay Life October 20, 1983

An article on the front page of Gay Life by Tom Peters begins:

"It was a grassroots gathering at Le Pub, 1944 N. Clark St. in Chicago, when Gary Nepon, 28, appeared before some fifty persons on Sunday afternoon, December 4. Nepon, called Illinois' 'first avowed gay candidate' in Friday, October 21's Chicago Daily News, was said to have made a very favorable impression on his audience. He also cleared up what some persons earlier had felt were his muddy water issues; his initial statements on abortion and capital punishment.

"'I am morally opposed to capital punishment,'" he now says. Also, 'I believe in a woman's right to make decisions about her own body. Further, I definitely believe that abortion should be included as part of the Medicaid Program which pays for other medical procedures. I am disturbed at the recent override of the Governor's veto in this matter.'"

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The annual "Toys For Tots" shows are at the Baton, 436 N. Clark St., at 7:00 p.m. and 10 p.m.Tickets are $4 and the money goes to the Northwestern University Settlement House and the little brothers of the poor. "Toys for Tots" is sponsored by the Chicago Knights, 2nd City, Pride/Chicago and Hellfire.

1980

Steve Dahl is fired from his job at Radio Station WLUP for his anti-gay remarks as well as for many other policy violations and assaults on standards.

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Image: Anvil – Gay Chicago September 13, 1990

The Gay Academic Union/Chicago Chapter presents "Lesbian and Gay Themes in Art" at Stuart Wilbur Inc., 2943 N. Halsted.

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Article in Gay Life begins:

"The Chicago Gay/Lesbian Community Band (formerly the Chicago Gay Pride Band) announces the appointment of Les Stahl as new musical director. Stahl's responsibilities include selection of repertoire, overseeing instructive rehearsals, and conducting the band during concerts."

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Horizons East at Jane Addams-Hull House, 3212 N. Broadway, 3rd floor hosts two rap groups: "Bisexuality" with Charlene Bruhl and "Christmas Gifts from Your Kitchen" with Gay Gourmet Rick Karlin. Diana Dewey entertains.

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On the front page of this week's Gay Life:

"WASHINGTON, DC–Air Force Sgt. Leonard Matlovich, who vowed to return to the service as an example to other homosexuals serving in the military, has accepted a $160,000 settlement from the Air Force. Thus ends the five-year saga of the Langley Air Force Base (VA) technical sergeant who was dismissed from the service in 1975 after revealing his homosexuality. On Sept. 12, Matlovich had won his first victory when U.S. District Judge Gerhard Gesell ruled in Washington that the Air Force's regulations regarding homosexuals were vague and confusing and that Matlovich should be reinstated with approximately $60,000 in back pay."

1997

In the bars and clubs this week, Falcon Superstar Tom Chase makes an appearance at Fusion, 3631 N. Halsted; Double Up, Double the Fun, Double the Party, Double the Birthday, Kevin Morris and Dennis Fiore celebrate at Lucky Horseshoe Lounge, 3169 N. Halsted; there's a "Lights Out Party" at the Ultimate Oz, 7301 W. Roosevelt; it's the Great Lakes Bears Holiday Party Night at Touche, 6412 N. Clark St.: Girlbar, 2625 N. Halsted, hosts Col. Margarethe Cammermeyer, lesbian candidate for Washington Congresswoman and inspiration for the film "Serving in Silence," attending a benefit for State Rep. Jan Schakowsky, candidate for Congress.

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Image: The Patch – Hotspots November 2000

Café Pride, Chicago's under-age coffee bar meets in the basement of Holy Covenant Church, 925 W. Diversey.

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Integrity/Chicago, an Episcopal lesbian and gay ministry, meets for liturgy and a social gathering at St. Mark's Episcopal Church in Evanston.

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"Don We Now XIX Sounds of the Season" the Windy City Gay Chorus, Windy City Slickers, Union Windy City lesbian and gay singers, and Aria, Windy City Women's Ensemble, perform together at Preston Bradley Hall, 941 W. Lawrence.

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Minority Outreach Intervention Project sponsors "Los Nuestros," a support group for Latino men with alternative sexual lifestyles, at 1924 W. 21st St.

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On the front page of Outlines:

"The Indigo Girls They're Out, They're Hot, and They Help the Environment. Amy Ray and Emily Sailers are openly lesbian performers with a powerful and dedicated fan base. Amy Ray also has her own label."

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"Charlene's Holiday Special." Former USO girl & Berwyn's Bohemian Princess, Charlene Unger, hosts a loving and campy tribute to holiday TV specials past and present with an evening of singing, dancing, Xmas music and special guest stars-including "The Ungertones" with her sister Connie and half-sister Henrietta, the Chicago Tap Authority dancers showcasing John Kloss, Amanda Majewski and Bobby Ruben Stein, plus jazz by the Jim Cox Trio. Takes place at Randolph Café, Chicago Cultural Center, 77 E. Washington.

Homework

What happened to Charlene Unger?

Did anyone see "Whatever Happened to Baby Jane" at the Glory Hole?

What happened to Col. Margarethe Cammermeyer?

Gay Chicago Photo Rewind

Singer Feron autographs her albums at Park West, and Vanna White buys one of Jon Reich's prints in Gay Chicago November 6, 1986.

The Bughaus gay bar closes with a party. Photos by Dan DiLeo for Gay Chicago October 6, 1983.

Protesting the fundamentalists in Daley Center Plaza in Gay Life September 18, 1979. Photos by Wadi Atiba.

The West Suburban Gay Association's Annual Autumn Auction at Holy Covenant MCC in Hinsdale. Photo by Christopher Stryker for Windy City Times November 26, 1987.

Thanks go to publishers Michael Bergeron for Chicago Gay Crusader, Ralph and Craig Gernhardt for Gay Chicago, Grant Ford and Chuck Renslow for Gay Life, Malone Sizelove for Babble/Gab, David Costanza and others for Chicago Free Press, Jeff McCourt for Windy City Times, Stacy Bridges and Mark Nagel for GRAB, and Tracy Baim for all the publications at the Windy City Media Group, which aided the above research. St. Sukie de la Croix is an internationally published reporter, playwright, photographer and historian. He is also the author of Chicago Whispers: A History of LGBT Chicago Before Stonewall published by the University of Wisconsin Press.